Boeing donates plane to BBCC - Big Bend Community College

Erik Borg with Boeing plane donation with — Erik Borg, instructor for the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at BBCC, admires the Helio Courier recently donated by The Boeing Company.

A Helio Courier aircraft–which can maintain in-flight control speeds as low as 28 mph–was donated to Big Bend Community College by The Boeing Company on March 3.

The gift went to the college’s Aviation Maintenance Technology Aviation Maintenance Technology program. The aircraft landed at Grant County International Airport and will not fly again. It is now an instructional tool for the AMT, according to college officials.

The aircraft was used by Boeing for flight testing activities. It is a tail-wheel aircraft suited for maneuvering at small airport operations. This one has a camera mount on the belly.

The Helio Courier is popular with bush pilots. It is a 5-passenger aircraft with a 38-foot wingspan and can attain speeds of 170 mph.